Battle of Midway, WWII defense of Midway Island from Japanese attack, battle scenes, Navy pilots,...

Director John Ford and crew film the WWII defense of Midway Island from Japanese attack which became the turning point in favor of the Allies in the battle of the Pacific. Fearing censorship Ford had the film edited in secret and when it was previewed at the White House, President Franklin D. Roosevelt is quoted as saying I want every Mother in America to see this film. Narration by Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, Donald Crisp, and Johnny Governali Animation of the Pacific Ocean showings the location of Midway Island. Navy PBY-5A in flight. Shows Midway Island with docked PT-Boats. Good shots of crew in swimming suits taking gear down and attaching it to underside of PBY in the water and hauling the plane up ramp. Good shots of the colors going by with Marines marching behind colors. Scenes of gooney birds and sunsets. Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress being fueled and readied by crew. Flashback to mother, father, and sister back home of the skipper of the B-17. Shows B-17’s take-off. Shows an aerial attack by Japanese planes on Midway Island. Scenes of machine gunners firing at Japanese planes. Fighters take off to engage the enemy. Scenes of bomb damage to hangars and other structures and scenes of fires caused by Japanese bombs. Formation of Navy fighters. Battle fleet at sea -- aircraft carriers, destroyers and destroyer escorts. Torpedo bombers and fighters taking off from deck of aircraft carrier. Close-up scene of ack-ack (anti-aircraft) gun positions on ship firing at the attacking Japanese planes. Excellent ship to air battle scenes. Good coverage of the battle. Close-up footage of Navy pilot in his plane. Plane has seven (7) meatballs on the side. Shots of pilots getting out of their planes aboard aircraft carrier. Shows damage done by air raid on Midway Island. Shows Japanese planes that had crashed. Navy PBY-5 in flight. Good coverage of Air Sea Rescue program. Air-Sea Rescue bringing in rescued pilots who have been picked up at sea. Pilots being removed from Navy planes at rescue station. Scenes of the remains of the hospital that was burned out during the battle. Coverage of the burial ceremonies held on Midway, soldiers and sailors at the ceremonies. Flag draped caskets. Troops saluting. Small ships, with flag draped caskets on deck, going out to sea.